


Brighter Than Sunshine

by attackedastoria



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Angst, Babies, Bodhi Rook Needs a Hug, Bodhi is Badass, Canon? What Canon?, Child Abandonment, Domestic Fluff, Family Drama, Family Feels, Feels, Flower Crowns, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Grumpy Old Men, Hurt/Comfort, I gave myself a sad, M/M, Old Men In Love, SPACE DADS!, Smut, baby's first steps, bodhi is a good dad, bodhi is done with the galaxy's shit, grumpy hermit space husbands, i write better fic than rian johnson, jedi finn as he deserves, people asked me to put these in a separate collection so here we go, wedge is the best uncle
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-22
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2018-10-09 04:34:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 14,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10404042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/attackedastoria/pseuds/attackedastoria
Summary: A collection of one-shots featuring Luke, Bodhi, and their attempts to navigate parenthood and everythingelsethe galaxy decides to throw at them.(Mostly non-chronological, written in whatever order I feel like at the moment)





	1. When We First Met

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: "You need any help?"

 

 

Bodhi curses softly under his breath, dropping his hydrospanner as he presses his knuckles to his mouth— _kriff_ , that had hurt.

He breathes out sharply, shoving his goggles up into his hair as he glares at the offending scored, twisted panel before leaning over so he can _hit_ it— his knee knocks into the spanner, sending it clattering to the floor, and Bodhi curses again, quickly hooking his good leg around the s-foil as he swings himself upside-down, hoping he can _reach_ the damn thing—

Bodhi makes a startled sound as he swings right into someone’s face, inches from hitting them— he stares into the _bluest_ pair of eyes he’s ever seen, his own eyes wide as he recognizes _who_ they belong to, because even though he’s never met this man, of _course_ he knows who he is, _everyone_ does—

“You drop this?” Luke Skywalker smiles at him, slightly amused, holding the offending hydrospanner up in one hand as he tilts his head to the side. Bodhi stares for a moment, his mouth gone a bit dry, before he remembers that _yes_ , he is capable of speech.

“Uh— yes, thank you. Sorry,” Bodhi says quickly, reaching for the spanner— Luke slaps it gently into his palm, his smile growing a bit wider as he rakes his gaze over Bodhi and quirks one eyebrow. Bodhi belatedly realizes that he probably looks like an _idiot_ , hanging upside-down and swinging from the s-foil of a battered x-wing, in front of the Rebellion’s great _hero_ , no less—

“You need any help?” Luke asks, tilting his head a bit more, his eyes dancing with amusement— Bodhi clutches the hydrospanner in both of his hands and shakes his head quickly. He regrets doing so, as it makes him just a little dizzy, for a moment.

“No, no, I’m— I’m good, thank you. You, uh— probably have more important things to be doing,” Bodhi stammers slightly, starting to swing himself back up onto the wing— he winces a little as his prosthetic scrapes a bit noisily on the durasteel panelling. Luke takes a step back so he can look up at him better, still smiling.

“You sure? I don’t mind,” he offers, his eyes drifting down to Bodhi’s leg, like everyone’s eyes tend to do— it doesn’t bother Bodhi much, now. Unlike most people, Luke doesn’t look embarrassed or ashamed for looking— he looks curious, rather, as recognition lights up his eyes. “You’re Bodhi Rook, right?”

Bodhi almost drops the hydrospanner again, but manages not to, miraculously. How the _hell_ did Luke Skywalker know _his_ name? “That’s, uh— that’s me, yeah. And I really don’t need any help.” Bodhi pauses. “Sir.”

Luke snorts, fighting back a grin, “Just _Luke_ is fine.”

Bodhi ducks his head, fidgeting, “Luke.”

“Bodhi,” Luke smiles, bright eyes dancing as he tilts his head. “You’re _sure_ you don’t want any help?”

Bodhi swallows, glancing at the scored panelling he needs to rip up— it _would_ be easier with two people, honestly— maybe he could just, borrow Luke, just for a minute— “Um… maybe, just with one thing? If you don’t mind.”

Luke grins brightly, already shrugging off his flight jacket, “Wouldn’t have offered if I did. Where do you need me?”

“Here,” Bodhi leans over, offering Luke his hand without even thinking about it— Luke grabs it, grip firm and warm, and Bodhi’s heart damn near flutters for a moment as he helps Luke up beside him, the great rebellion hero pressing in _far_ too close to him as he leans over to look at the ruined panel. Bodhi sucks in a sharp breath, and realizes that Luke smells like warm sunshine, engine grease, and something _electric_ , the sharp tang of ozone that all the pilots seem to carry— it suits him, Bodhi thinks.

Luke turns his head, smiling at him as he asks for a spare pair of gloves, and Bodhi feels his heart _flutter_ in his chest again.

Well, _shit_.

 

 


	2. Sleep, My Dear, Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Luke crying in Bodhi's arms after Bespin

 

Bodhi feels as though he may be _sick_ as he flat out runs to the medical bay.

Stupid, _reckless_ , impulsive fucking _Jedi_ , doesn’t he even _think_ for a moment what this _does to him_ , the sheer _terror_ that grips Bodhi’s heart when he hears the rumor flying around the ship— _Skywalker’s back, with the princess, but Solo, something happened to Solo— did you see his hand? The Jedi didn’t look too good, very pale, shaking—_

Damn it, Luke. _Why do you do this to me?_

Bodhi nearly bowls over Leia outside the doors to the medbay, his fury and worry boiling into one overheated mess, consuming him— she grabs his arms, anchoring him to a stop, and the hydraulics in his leg hiss as he pulls against her, because he has to _see_ Luke, he’s going to _kill him_ —

“Bodhi,” Leia says softly, tone the complete opposite of her iron grip. “He’ll be okay. He’s _okay_ , I promise.”

Bodhi turns to look at her, and sags like a puppet with its strings cut. Leia— with her face as serene and regal as ever, how does she _do it_ , Bodhi doesn’t _understand_ —gentles her grip on him, looking up at him with sad, dark eyes. “You can see him in a few minutes, they’re finishing his…”

She trails off, glancing down— Bodhi follows her gaze to his leg and feels his heart clench— _no_ , not Luke, not him too, _please_. Leia lifts her gaze again and gives him a tight, but reassuring smile as she lifts one hand, palming his cheek tenderly. “He needs you. He _really_ needs you.”

Bodhi swallows hard against the tightness in his throat as he meets her eyes— he nods after a moment, trying to calm himself, because he knows something bad happened, something _terrible_ , he can see it in Leia’s eyes— his mouth feels dry, suddenly— “I… Han?”

Leia’s eyes go shuttered and flat, but Bodhi still sees the pain flash in them before she schools her features, ever the diplomat. “He’s… alive. We’ll _find_ him. Chewbacca and Lando are already putting together search parameters.”

Bodhi’s heart aches as he takes in the calm, regal air of Leia’s face, the fierce certainty of her voice— she _will_ find Han, if it’s the last thing she ever does. Bodhi isn’t the only one suffering, he realizes.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers, leaning down and pressing his lips lightly to the crown of Leia’s head— she draws in a soft breath, closing her eyes for a moment. “You’ll— you’ll find him. I know you will--  and kick his ass for _making_ you find him.”

That draws the smallest of smiles, just a quick tug at the corner of Leia’s mouth, “I _will_.”

The door slides open, suddenly, starting them both— Bodhi’s heart hammers in his chest as the medical droid reports that limited visitors may now be permitted. He looks back to Leia, but she’s already pushing him gently, her face softening ever so slightly. “Go… he needs you, Bodhi. I’ll come by in a bit to check on you both.”

Bodhi hesitates, looking at Leia one last time, before he clenches his fists and sweeps past the droid into the bright, white med bay. His heart is pounding, racing, and he still feels like he might be _sick_ , because he doesn’t know what to expect, what he’s going to _find_ —

Bodhi stops, when he finds Luke’s bed at the back of the medical bay— he looks so small, so pale, so _fragile_ , and Bodhi feels his heart break a bit, because Luke is never any of those things. His head is turned, staring out the massive viewport of the bay at an endless sea of stars— Bodhi steps closer, his leg clanking a bit on the duraplast tile, and Luke turns his head quickly, his eyes wide—

“ _Bodhi_ ,” Luke’s voice cracks, his crystal eyes going wet, and Bodhi is at his side before he even realizes he’s moved, cradling Luke’s battered face in his hands so very tenderly, feeling Luke’s tears spilling over his fingers as he kisses him gently, like he might break, not wanting to hurt him further--

“Luke…” Bodhi’s own voice cracks, tears burning his own eyes as he so very carefully brushes his lips over Luke’s face, wishing he could kiss away every single hurt, inside and out. “Why… why are you so _reckless_ , why do you do this?”

“I’m sorry,” Luke whispers, fisting his hand in Bodhi’s hair, pulling him closer so he can bury his face into Bodhi’s neck— he’s shaking, and Bodhi slips his arms around him, holding Luke as he shifts to sit on the bed. “I didn’t— I _saw_ what was going to happen, I had to save them, I had to _try_ — I’m sorry, love, I know how much you _hate_ this…”

Bodhi wants to yell, wants to scream that Luke is _always_ sorry when he does this, when he acts without thinking it through, when he acts so selfless for others that it makes Bodhi's heart seize with terror and pure love— but he doesn’t, because he _loves_ Luke, and Luke is in _pain_ , and he can’t _stand_ it. “Why do you _always_ have to be so brave?”

“I’m _not_ ,” Luke whispers, voice cracking again. “I’m scared. I’m _so_ _scared_ , Bodhi—of— of losing my friends, of losing _you_ — losing sight of _myself_ …”

Luke trails off, and Bodhi hears the soft, familiar mechanical click and hiss of hydraulics— he tilts his head and notices that Luke’s other hand is hidden beneath the sheets, away from him. Bodhi’s heart clenches, and he feels a phantom ache in his own leg, for a moment.

“Let me see,” he whispers, reaching for the sheet— Luke makes a soft, broken sound, not quite sob, but he doesn’t stop Bodhi, just presses his face more firmly into the curve of his neck. Bodhi carefully draws the sheet back and sucks in a soft breath— they haven’t grafted any synthskin over the prosthetic, and it gleams under the lights of the med bay. It’s far more advanced than his leg, he notes with detached interest in the back of his head. No expenses spared for the last of the Jedi, apparently. 

“We match, now,” Bodhi murmurs, pressing a soft kiss against Luke’s hair— Luke huffs out something that’s caught between a small sob and a startled laugh, and Bodhi smiles a little. “I like yours better, actually. I feel outdated now.”

“Don’t let Kaytoo hear you say that, he worked hard on your leg,” Luke mumbles against his neck, and Bodhi smiles a little more— he reaches out, grabbing Luke’s hand carefully— it’s cool and metallic and it’s a little strange, but it’s still _Luke_ , so it doesn’t bother Bodhi. Luke sucks in a sharp breath, trying to pull away, but Bodhi tightens his grip, lacing his flesh fingers through Luke’s metal ones carefully, refusing to let him be ashamed, because Bodhi knows all about _shame_.

“I love you. _All_ of you,” Bodhi stresses, because surely Luke _knows_ that, after all this time, knows that Bodhi will love him no matter _what,_ missing limbs or otherwise-- it's not like _Bodhi_ was whole when he met Luke, after all. He pulls Luke’s hand up, pressing his lips softly against one sleek metal fingertip. Luke makes a slightly broken sound, finally allowing himself to clutch back at Bodhi’s hand, and Bodhi presses his face into Luke’s soft, golden hair, inhaling deeply— “ _How_?”

Luke goes stiff in his arms, and Bodhi holds his breath for a moment—he shouldn’t have asked, not now, not when it’s still _fresh_ , but he has to _know_. Luke suddenly sags against him, as if all the remaining energy has been drained from his body as he starts to tremble a little, clutching at Bodhi even more tightly—

“Vader,” Luke whispers, his voice sounding absolutely _broken_ — Bodhi’s eyes widen, his heart catching with sheer _terror_ for a moment— Vader, that _monster_ , he’d heard all of the awful, nightmarish stories about him at the academy— _he_ was the one who did this to his Luke? How— why was he even _there_ — what the hell had _happened_ —

Before Bodhi can open his mouth to say anything, Luke lets out a sharp, muffled sob, and they don’t stop, they keep _coming_ — Bodhi shifts on the bed, pulling Luke into his lap as best he can and holding him tightly, letting Luke cry and sob into his chest. His heart absolutely aches, feeling as though it might shatter, as he presses his lips against Luke’s hair, whispering nonsensically, trying to comfort him— _it’s okay, love, I’m here, you’re okay, everything is going to be okay, I love you so much, my heart, my sun, shhhh, you’re okay_ —as he smooths his hands over Luke’s trembling back in soothing patterns.

Bodhi isn’t sure if Luke is ever going to stop crying, and he feels tears burning in his own eyes, wetting Luke’s hair as they fall. He starts to hum a soft Jedhan lullaby under his breath— one his mother used to sing to him, after he had nightmares —as he rocks Luke gently in his lap, cradling him close, wishing he could take all of his pain, all the darkness, and make him shine _bright_ and full of hope once more, because Luke didn't deserve _any_ of this. “ _Soja, mere laal, soja…_ ”

Luke quiets, after a long while, still clinging to Bodhi and breathing soft and slightly ragged as Bodhi continues to rock him gently, petting his golden hair— Bodhi doesn’t stop humming, his voice soft against Luke’s ear, trying to chase his nightmares away the only way he knows _how_ , even though it isn’t much, it’s all he has to give, Bodhi’s love is all he’s _ever_ had to give, really—

He hopes it’s enough, for Luke. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;-;


	3. All the Stars in the Sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Will you marry me?

 

“Will you marry me?”

Bodhi is so completely startled by the sudden voice that he drops the hydrospanner in his hand on his foot— luckily for him, it’s his metal foot, so it just leaves a small ding instead of actually injuring him.

“When did you get back?” Bodhi whips around, his eyes wide as he shoves his goggles up into his hair— Luke is standing at the top of his shuttle’s ramp, looking _completely_ ragged and more bloodied than usual, which immediately has Bodhi’s heart catching in his chest with alarm. “Are you alright? What happened?”

Bodhi rushes to Luke, hands fluttering anxiously, trying to see how badly he’s hurt, if he should drag him to medical— why was he _always_ coming back from missions and training like this, did Luke not _understand_ what this did to him, how it made him feel so fucking _helpless_ —

Luke catches Bodhi’s hands, holding them tightly and pressing them to his chest— Bodhi curls his fingers into the soft black fabric, his heart still racing frantically as he meets Luke’s eyes. The look on his face sends a shock through Bodhi, because he’s never seen Luke look so absolutely _desperate_ , so pleading, not even when he’d come back from Bespin with a missing hand and Bodhi had almost screamed at him for being so _reckless_ again—

“Will you _marry_ me? _Please_ , Bodhi…” Luke’s voice cracks this time, and Bodhi feels his heart clench in his chest, caught in a vice— _stars_ , how he’s _dreamed_ of hearing Luke say this, in the most secret of his hopes, the ones he shoves into a tiny box in his scrambled brain, where no one can find them.

“You’re going to do something reckless again, aren’t you,” Bodhi whispers, because he _knows_ Luke, he knows this desperation— Luke lifts his hands, framing Bodhi’s face as he kisses him so softly, so tenderly that it makes Bodhi tremble a little, because he’s _overwhelmed_.

“I love you _so much_ , Bodhi…” Luke whispers against his lips, deflecting Bodhi’s statement, and Bodhi shivers, because those words will always feel like a bolt of pure joy to his heart. “I should have asked, sooner, but… I _need_ you, I need this… _please_ , love…”

Luke is practically _begging_ Bodhi, and it makes him feel slightly lightheaded as his lips are captured in another kiss, this one deeper, more desperate—

“You want… you want to do it _now_?” Bodhi’s voice cracks a bit as their lips part, staring into Luke’s blue, blue eyes—Luke nods, his eyes suddenly alight with hope, with desire, with the pure and absolute _love_ Bodhi will never grow accustomed to, no matter what.

“Right now… I don’t want to wait, not anymore,” Luke kisses him again, harder this time, still desperate, and Bodhi moans softly as he forces himself to break away, his heart hammering in his chest, because stars above, does he want this more than _anything_ he’s ever wanted in his life, even _flying_ —

“Okay… okay. _Yes_. Right now.”

Luke’s eyes widen, alight with pure joy and adoration, before he smiles brighter than twin suns and kisses Bodhi with total abandon.

 

————

 

It’s a very small affair.

Bodhi frantically comms Jyn, hyperventilating ever so slightly as he explains— she shows up on the observation deck with Cassian only minutes later, both of them breathing hard, as though they’d run through the entire ship to get there.

Jyn uses her sleeve to scrub at the grease on Bodhi’s face, before taking his goggles off his head and unfastening his hair, using her fingers to comb through the tangles, trying to make him look slightly presentable. She can’t stop _smiling_ , her green eyes bright, and it calms Bodhi a bit. Cassian lends him his jacket, which is nicer to look at than Bodhi’s grease-stained tank top, and kisses Bodhi on the cheek with a warm smile after helping him settle the collar properly.

At the other end of observation window, Leia is doing much the same for Luke— smoothing his hair, carelessly using the sleeve of her white robe to wipe blood and grime off of his face as best she can before helping him shrug on the flight jacket she’d grabbed from his room. Artoo beeps happily nearby, wheeling back and forth as he swivels his dome around to look at everyone.

When the captain— a man whose name Bodhi cannot remember for the life of him right now because his thoughts are absolutely _racing_ — finally arrives, Luke and Bodhi meet him at the center of the window, grasping each other’s hands tightly, and Bodhi can barely breathe as he gets lost in the endless blue _galaxy_ of Luke’s eyes. He barely registers the words the captain is speaking as he and Luke echo the vows, too focused on Luke’s blinding smile, the warm, steady grip of his hands, the thrumming of his own heart in his chest—

When the captain pronounces them wed— and _stars_ , Bodhi feels faint, because they did it, they’re _married_ , Luke is his _husband_ now —Luke grabs Bodhi’s face, kissing him with so much raw passion, so much unbridled  _love_ , and Bodhi kisses him back with everything he has in his soul, because Luke is and always will be the shining sun in the center of his dark universe.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cute boys. ;-;


	4. Hello Darling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: 'Luke and Bodhi with a baby, whether it's their own or otherwise'

 

“She’s an orphan, then?”

Bodhi can’t help it as he smiles down at the tiny baby in his arms, stroking one finger over the round swell of her cheek. She’s _very_ cute, in that soft, gentle way that all babies are— she opens her eyes with soft mewling sound, and Bodhi’s breath catches a little bit as he finds himself drowning in an _ocean_ of hazel.

“She is… I gave her parents a proper burial, before I took her to the makeshift orphanage, but… I couldn’t— I couldn’t _leave_ her, she started crying so badly when they tried to take her from me,” Luke’s voice is quiet but tight with emotion, his normally bright eyes shadowed as he watches his husband hold the little girl in his arms. Bodhi feels his heart ache, because Luke has seen far, _far_ too many children left behind, _alone_ , abandoned in the wake of this supposed peace they had fought so _hard_ for—

“You did the right thing, love,” Bodhi murmurs, carefully shifting the baby in his arms— he smiles a little as she gurgles and reaches out, trying to grab at his braid, which is hanging over his shoulder. She gets her fingers caught in the ends and tugs curiously, letting out a high-pitched gurgle, and Bodhi grins as Luke watches the two of them with a soft smile.

“You want to keep her,” Bodhi lifts his eyes to meet Luke’s, and his husband straightens up a bit, biting his lip— he looks younger and more hopeful than Bodhi has seen in a while, the hard edges he’s grown accustomed to softened with hope, with _longing_ —

“If you don’t— if you don’t _want_ to, I talked to Leia, already, there’s other families that would be happy to take her…” Luke is about to start babbling, Bodhi can tell, and he chuckles softly as he looks down at the little girl again, watching as she tries to shove the end of his braid into her drooling mouth.

“You _really_ thought I wouldn’t want to keep her after taking one look at her face?” Bodhi asks, gently prying his braid out of the baby’s grip— Luke’s entire body sags with relief as his eyes go bright and hopeful, and Bodhi shifts to make room as his husband comes to sit beside him on the bed.

“We never really talked about kids…” Luke presses a soft kiss against Bodhi’s temple before reaching out, tickling at the little girl’s stomach— he’s wearing his glove over his prosthesis, Bodhi notes, probably afraid of scaring her. The baby giggles, kicking her feet, and Bodhi resists the urge to melt as Luke grins and makes a silly face at her.

“What do you want to call her?” Bodhi asks, smiling as the baby grabs one of Luke’s fingers in her tiny hand, her eyes so wide and curious, so _innocent_ as they drift around between the two of them.

“I’ve, um.. I’ve kind of been calling her Rey,” Luke admits, sounding slightly sheepish, and Bodhi shakes his head, because there was _never_ a chance they weren’t going to keep this child. Both of their hearts are still far too soft, far too warm, despite everything they’ve been through, the horrors they’ve seen, the _nightmares_ they still have—

“Rey… I like it,” Bodhi smiles, shifting the baby around in his arms. He leans down to place a kiss on top of her head, against the soft patch of her hair, and hums. “What do you think, Rey?”

Luke grins with absolutely delight and adoration as Rey lets out a high-pitched squeal, flailing her arms around, “I think that means she likes it.”

Bodhi grins himself, carefully pushing himself off the bed— his right leg clicks and whirs in protest, and he _really_ needs to have Kay-too look at that, he might need to replace it soon, he thinks some of the gears are shot. Rey’s face scrunches up with a tiny yawn as she squirms, and Bodhi rocks her gently, feeling warm as Luke rises as well, pressing up against Bodhi’s back and hooking his chin over his shoulder so he can look down at Rey with soft eyes.

“We’re probably going to be _terrible_ at this,” Bodhi admits, because they can barely take care of _themselves_ sometimes, and Luke is so busy with rebuilding the Order, with training his students and finding more, with _everything_ , they barely have a moment to themselves sometimes—

“I think we’ll be fine,” Luke whispers, pressing a soft kiss to Bodhi’s ear, nuzzling into his hair— Bodhi closes his eyes as his husband’s arms wrap around his waist, squeezing him tightly, and hopes that Luke is right. He opens his eyes after a moment, looking down at Rey’s sleepy face, and wonders how he could _possibly_ fall in love with someone faster and more completely than he’d fallen in love with Luke— he didn’t think it was _possible_.

“Well, then… welcome to the family, Rey Rook-Skywalker,” Bodhi murmurs, leaning down to press another kiss to the top of the baby’s head, smiling as she gurgles sleepily and kicks one leg.

When Bodhi straightens out again, Luke grasps his chin gently, turning his head so he can kiss his husband fiercely, and Bodhi prays with everything he has to the Force that _this_ will be their final reward, the happiness they _deserve_ after so many years of suffering together.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOOK, I'm not saying I want Luke and Bodhi to be Rey's parents, but.. that's exactly what I'm saying, sorry.


	5. My Shooting Star

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: you're my shooting star

 

“Da! Da!”

Bodhi grins as Rey tries to push herself to her feet, bracing her little hands against his thigh from her position between his legs— she wobbles, teetering and falling back on her behind, but instead of crying, she tries _again_ , her sweet little face scrunched up with determination.

“Luke! Luke, c’mere!”

Bodhi calls for his husband, watching with pride as Rey pushes herself up and slowly stands on her chubby, wobbly legs, teetering— his hands hover at her sides, ready to catch her if she falls, and he can’t _believe_ this, she’s growing so fast, _too_ fast—

_“Luke!”_

Bodhi grins wide enough for it to nearly hurt, making encouraging noises to his daughter as she flails and stares down at her feet, as if trying to figure out how to move them the way she wants to _go_ — “That’s it, little star, take your time… I know you can do it, darling…”

“Bodhi, _what_ , I’m in the middle of—“ Bodhi hears the hum of a few lightsabers cutting off, and Luke sounds slightly exasperated as he approaches, saber still in hand but deactivated- he _freezes_ as he sees Rey standing between his husband’s legs all by herself, teetering in place. “Oh my _stars_ , she’s standing now?! When—!”

Bodhi can hear Luke’s students whispering, peering curiously towards their Master— Rey wobbles and turns her head, squealing happily when she spots Luke, trying to turn herself towards him on her shaky legs, “Da!”

Luke starts to approach, grinning bright as the sun overhead as he holds his hands out towards his daughter, but Bodhi lifts one hand, motioning for him to stop as Rey manages to turn without falling over, “Wait, wait… Rey, do you want to see Daddy? There’s Daddy, sweetheart, look!”

Rey squeals again as Luke stops about a foot or so away from her, crouching down, blue eyes wide as he watches his daughter teeter, unable to stop grinning as he holds his hands out again, “Rey.. Rey, c’mere, little star! Come on, you can do it!”

Rey starts to babble as she wobbles in place, her little face scrunching up once again, because she _very_ clearly wants a hug from her daddy— Bodhi holds his breath, hands still hovering close as Rey takes a very uncoordinated step, nearly falling before she rights herself—

“Oh my stars…” Luke whispers, watching with wide eyes as Rey takes another shaky, flailing step. “That’s it, Rey, c’mon sweetheart! Bodhi, _Bodhi,_ she’s _walking_!…”

Bodhi laughs happily as Rey takes another determined, wobbly little step— she almost falls forward but catches herself on her hands, and Bodhi leans forward anxiously, ready to help, but she pushes herself back up with a little grunt, and Bodhi feels his heart swell as his little girl slowly teeters her way over to Luke, giggling happily as she gets closer—

Rey pitches forward again, but Luke is there to catch her, dropping his lightsaber on the grass as he sweeps his daughter high over his head with a bright laugh, “You _did_ it, little star! You’re such a big girl now, look at you!…”

Rey shrieks happily as Luke spins her around, and a few of Luke’s younger students cheer in the background, clearly having watched the whole spectacle. Bodhi grins as he pushes himself to his feet, going over to kiss Rey on the cheeks as Luke holds her on his hip, his chest practically thrumming with pride, because his little girl was so _strong, so determined_ —

“I can’t believe she’s growing up so _fast_ …” Luke whispers, looking down at their daughter with something akin to awe, and Bodhi smiles as he leans in to kiss his husband sweetly.

“They always do, I hear,” Bodhi sighs, stroking one hand over Rey’s soft, dark hair as she giggles happily, fisting one hand in Luke’s tunic and the other in Bodhi’s shirt, not wanting to let go of either of them. Luke smiles fondly at her, adjusting her on his hip before he holds out his other hand and calls his saber to him from the grass where he’d dropped it.

“Give me a few minutes to wrap the training up, and we can go home early.. you think she’ll do it again? I wanna get it on holo..” Luke grins, practically radiating his excitement as he leans down to kiss Rey’s forehead before handing her off to Bodhi, who grunts as he settles her on his own hip.

“You want to get _everything_ on holo,” Bodhi muses, shifting his daughter as she squirms. “Go on, finish up.. we’ll wait.”

Luke smiles, kissing his husband quickly before he jogs back over to his waiting students— Bodhi looks down at Rey as she whines after her father, reaching towards him, clearly wanting his attention, and he chuckles as he bounces her on his hip.

“Don’t worry, little star… he’ll be back,” he reassures her, and when Rey looks up at him with her big hazel eyes, lips puckered because she wants attention, Bodhi grins and shifts his grip so he can lift her high over his head.

Rey shrieks with absolute delight, and Bodhi wonders how he ever truly felt alive and at _peace_ before this darling girl came into his life like a shooting star.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PROUD DADS.


	6. My Only Starlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: spacedads!verse; how each of them briefly deals with being a single parent when the other has to go away on a trip for something

 

“You’re _sure_ you’ll be alright?”

Luke smiles and resists the urge to roll his eyes as Bodhi gives him yet _another_ nervous, very uncertain look— he shifts Rey on his hip, and the toddler giggles a little, pulling at his belt curiously. He’s glad he remembered to take his lightsaber off _before_ picking her up, this time—

“We’ll be _fine_ , Bodhi,” Luke assures his husband, leaning over to give him a kiss— Rey grabs at Bodhi’s braid, which he removes from her grip with practiced ease. “It’s just a few days, I have watched her on my own before.”

“She couldn’t _walk_ then,” Bodhi mutters, still looking unsure— he sighs and leans down, smiling as he kisses Rey’s cheeks and nuzzles against her soft hair. “Papa will be back soon, sweetheart. You be good for daddy, okay?”

Rey makes a happy squeal— “Papa!” —before Bodhi pulls away and goes to grab his bag from the foot of the bed. Luke bounces her a little, and smiles as Bodhi comes back to kiss both of them again. “We’ll be fine, love. Go on, before you’re late.”

Bodhi sighs, pressing one last kiss to Luke’s lips, “Comm me if you need anything or something happens, okay?”

Luke rolls his eyes, following his husband as Bodhi strides out of the bedroom, “I will, don’t worry. _Go_. Love you.”

“I love you both!” Bodhi calls, snatching his goggles off the table before he runs out the front door— Luke can hear the hum of a ship’s engines nearby, and assumes Kay and Cassian must have gotten impatient.

“Papa?” Rey whines, starting to sniffle— Luke shifts her around, bringing her up so he can kiss her cheeks, hoping she’s not going to have a meltdown like she does any time Bodhi has to go fly a mission.

“He’ll be back, sweetheart, don’t worry!” he soothes, but it’s too late— Luke winces as Rey bursts into tears, shrieking at the top of her lungs, and holds her close, rubbing her back as she clings to his neck. Did she do this every time _he_ left? How did Bodhi _deal_ with it, he _hated_ hearing Rey cry…

“Don’t cry, princess… I miss him too, but he’ll be back, shhhh…”

Rey wails louder in response, and Luke sighs as he carries her towards the bedroom, deciding to let her cry it out— maybe he could put her down for a nap, after, at least.

 

————

 

Instead of going down for a nap after her crying fit, Rey manages to get ahold of her paints and smear them all over the contents of the closet.

Luke isn’t _entirely_ sure how all of his clothes end up covered in glittering pink and green paint while Bodhi’s remain spotless, but he’s starting to think that maybe kids are a little smarter than they let on.

 

————

 

By the second day, Luke is _already_ exhausted— Rey won’t sit _still_ , she’s everywhere and constantly getting into _everything_. He never realized how good Bodhi was at getting their daughter to sit quietly and _listen_ — how in the galaxy did he manage this all by himself while Luke was training with his students, during the week?

“Rey! Put that down!”

Luke groans as his daughter drops the decorative vase Leia had given them, breaking it— she _had_ put it down, he supposes —and sweeps in to grab her up, because she can hurt herself on the sharp shards of ceramic. “When did you start getting so destructive, little star?”

Rey places a big, wet kiss on Luke’s cheek, her eyes shining as she looks _slightly_ remorseful for break the pretty vase, and Luke can’t help himself as he smiles and kisses her forehead, because tiny terror or not, she’s still his little princess.

 

————

 

“Ow—! Master Skywalker! Rey keeps hitting me!”

Luke turns from where he’s correcting a student’s form, arching one eyebrow— sure enough, Rey has gotten ahold of a wooden training sword and will _not_ let go despite several students hovering over her, trying to take it away. In fact, she keeps trying to _swing_ the kriffing thing, which is quite a feat considering she still has trouble balancing at times. He's a little impressed.

“Rey! We place _nice_ with others, star!”

Rey grunts and manages to smack another student in the shin, earning a surprised yelp— Luke snorts and almost lets a laugh slip out. _Almost_.

“Master _Skywalker_ —!”

Luke rolls his eyes to the sky and bites back the proud grin that wants to form on his face as he goes to rescue his students from his over enthusiastic daughter.

 

————

 

“You are my starlight, my only starlight…”

Luke smiles as Rey tucks her tiny face into his chest, already half asleep as he sings to her in Bodhi’s favorite chair. He doesn’t get to do this, usually— most of the time, Rey is already fast asleep and tucked into her bed by the time he gets back from the temple. Luke runs his fingers over his daughter’s soft hair, carefully loosening it from the messy braid he’d managed to put it in earlier— he couldn’t do anything as _fancy_ as Bodhi, but Rey had beamed at him happily when he’d finished braiding it anyway, and his heart sang the way it always did when his daughter smiled at him.

Luke’s heart suddenly pangs, as he realizes how _little_ he’s seen of Rey lately— he needs to fix that. It’s not fair to her, _or_ Bodhi— she has _two_ fathers. He needs to be here, more, or he’ll miss his precious little star growing up before he knows it.

Luke rises from the chair very carefully, pressing a kiss to Rey’s forehead, and promises himself that he’ll do better as he carries her to bed.

 

————

 

“Luke?”

Bodhi is exhausted as he sets his bag on the kitchen table— there’s a small bacta patch on his temple, and he looks slightly worse for wear, but no more than when he usually comes home from rushing Kay and Cassian around on a mission. The house is unusually quite, and Bodhi’s metal leg clicks softly on the floor as he moves through the living room, towards the bedroom, wondering where his husband and daughter are—

He pauses in the doorway, unable to stop the warm, fond smile that spreads across his face immediately— Luke is sprawled out on the bed, his robes and face glittering ever so slightly with pink and blue paint as he snores softly-- he looks exhausted, poor thing. Rey is sprawled out across his chest, her paint-stained hands clutching at her father’s robes, drooling just a bit from her tiny, open mouth.

Bodhi’s heart swells with adoration as he watches them for a moment, before he quietly retreats to the living room— he grabs the holocam off the table and returns to the bedroom, smiling again as he snaps a few pictures and a quick holo-vid of his husband and daughter. He didn’t get the chance to get as many pictures of them together, lately… Luke was always so _busy_.

Bodhi sets the holocam on the dresser before carefully sitting on the bed, trying not to wake Rey or Luke as he shifts to lay down beside them— Luke’s eyes flutter open despite his care, lighting up when they catch sight of Bodhi’s face on the pillow next to him, the tired lines on his face smoothing out as he smiles happily.

“You’re back,” he whispers, careful not to disturb Rey as he reaches over and grabs Bodhi’s hand— Bodhi smiles as he twines their fingers together, leaning over to kiss his husband softly-- he sighs with pleasure against Luke's lips as his husband returns the kiss, warm and lazy and _everything_ Bodhi's been missing the past few days.

“I am. Go back to sleep, love,” Bodhi murmurs, closing his eyes as he tucks himself against Luke’s side and settles his other hand gently across Rey’s back, rubbing it soothingly as she fusses a little.

“Missed you,” Luke sighs, closing his eyes again as he tilts his face so he can nuzzle into Bodhi’s hair, breathing him in— engine oil, ozone, and wildflowers from the meadow. Even after only a few days, he’d _missed_ it. Bodhi hums softly, already starting to drift off, and Luke smiles as Rey nuzzles sleepily into his chest, kicking one of her little legs.

Maybe his students deserve a vacation, Luke thinks— the thought sounds _very_ appealing, suddenly.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Luke. You try.


	7. Goodbye Darling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continued Prompt: 'Luke and Bodhi with a baby, whether it's their own or otherwise'

 

“Papa, I don’t understand!…”

Bodhi can’t _stand_  the sound of Rey’s cries, of her sobs, as she clings to him, her little arms and legs wrapped tight around him, refusing to let go. He presses his face into her soft hair, inhaling the scent of flowers, of rain and mist, of pure _innocence_ — his heart wrenches in his chest, screaming at him, _you can’t do this, you can’t do this, don’t do this_ —

“Rey, my blossom, my star, we’ll come back for you, Papa _promises_ …” Bodhi’s voice cracks, catching on the sob caught in his throat. Rey cries harder, and Bodhi’s eyes burn, unable to stop his own tears as he presses kisses all over her face, her hair— he can’t _do_ this, he’s a monster, _why is Luke making him do this_ —

“Bodhi, we have to _go_ ,” Luke insists, his own voice cracking— his face is shrouded by the hood of his cloak, but Bodhi knows he’s crying, can hear it, can _feel_ it— this is _all his fault_ , he’s making Bodhi do this, making Bodhi _leave their daughter_ , abandon her all _alone_ —

“Daddy!” Rey cries for Luke now, grabbing at his robes, and he crushes her to him, pressing his face against her hair, and Bodhi covers his mouth with his hand because they are both _monsters_ —

“Rey, you’ll be safe here from the bad men, Papa and I have to go…” Luke tries to shush her, clutching Rey like a lifeline, “I _promise_ we’ll come back when it’s safe for you, we love you _so much_ , little star…”

Bodhi pulls Rey back to him, crushing her close as Luke rises, goes to speak with that disgusting man who is going to _take his daughter_ — “I love you _so much_ , Rey… I’m sorry, _I’m so sorry_ , we’ll come back soon, I _promise_ …”

It’s an empty promise, because for all Bodhi knows, he and Luke could be _dead_ soon, but he makes it anyway.

“Don’t go!…” Rey sobs, fighting to hold on to him as Luke starts to pull her away— Bodhi can’t watch, his heart feels like it’s going to shatter, and he _deserves_ it, he deserves this pain, he deserves to _suffer_ for doing this to her, and so does _Luke_ , that bastard—

Bodhi can’t stand it as Rey screams for them, and he turns, stumbling over himself as his prosthetic leg clicks angrily, grinding with sand— he retreats into the ship, dropping to his knees on the cold durasteel, and he can’t breathe as he starts to sob, pulling at his hair, cut short now to try and make himself less recognizable, because he has to _hide_ , he has to leave Rey because the Jedi are gone again and they’re going to be _hunted down_ and it’s _all Luke’s fault—_

The ramp slides shut as Luke strides in, cloak billowing as he drops to his knees beside his husband, trying to pull him into his arms, but Bodhi can still hear Rey’s cries echoing— _“Come back! Papa! Come back!”_ —and he shoves Luke away, filled with white hot rage and sorrow, because Luke is taking away the only other light he’s _ever_ had in life.

“ _Don’t touch me!_ ” Bodhi snarls, clenching his fists— Luke pulls his hood down, and his own eyes are red, face haggard and streaked with tears, and he has never looked so _old_ , so broken, not even when Ben had— had--

“I’m _so sorry_ , Bodhi…”

That wrenches another sob out of Bodhi’s chest, and he wants to tell Luke _exactly_ what he can do with his apologies— Luke grabs his arm firmly, forcing Bodhi to his feet and dragging him to the cockpit even as Bodhi fights against his grip, he can’t leave his daughter, _he can’t_ —

Luke shoves him into the co-pilot seat, and Bodhi tries to surge out of it, to run back to Rey, but he can’t move a single muscle— he stares at Luke with wide, heartbroken eyes, because his husband is using the _Force_ to restrain him, that unimaginable bastard.

“Luke, _please_ …” Bodhi begs, fighting against it, but it’s useless— he watches helplessly as Luke starts the engines, his face gone blank and hard as the ship lurches off the ground, ignoring Bodhi’s cries. “Luke! Luke, we don’t have to _do this_ , please!…”

Luke doesn’t even look at Bodhi as he takes the ship up, out of Jakku’s atmosphere— Bodhi can still hear Rey crying inside his head, _“No! Come back, come back!”_ , and he knows his heart is never going to heal from this, because he will _never_ forgive himself, or his husband.

Luke doesn’t release his hold on Bodhi until they’ve jumped to hyperspace, until they’ve left Rey behind, _alone_ , on some backwater desert planet where Ben and Snoke will hopefully never find her, where she’ll be _safe_ , where she’ll hate them forever for leaving her.

Bodhi sags forward, hunching in on himself, breathing hard and erratic. How is supposed to _live_ with himself, now? He pictures Rey sitting on Luke’s shoulders, a crown of flowers in her hair— Rey waving around one of the wooden practice sabers, her brow scrunched as Luke and his students watch with amusement— Rey sitting in his lap as he works on his ship, wearing a pair of his goggles, which are _far_ too big for her tiny face—

“I _hate_ you,” Bodhi whispers brokenly, because he does, in that moment— he can hear Luke’s fist clench, the angry metal grind of his hand, and Bodhi hopes it _hurts_ , the wave of anger and resentment and _pain_ that he shoves at Luke, knowing he can feel it through the Force.

Luke makes a soft, broken sound as he slumps in his seat, clutching at his head with both hands, and Bodhi doesn’t feel _any_ remorse.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still hate myself.


	8. The Quiet Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: I missed you.

 

For the entire first month after they arrive on Ahch-to, Bodhi refuses to speak to Luke.

Luke leaves his husband to his grief, and spends his time trying to restore one of the ancient huts into something livable for the two of them. Bodhi hikes around the desolate island that is now his home, staring into the endless, watery distance for hours at a time, lost in memories of a daughter he’ll probably never see again, until Luke comes and finds him, gently guiding him back to the ship. Bodhi still doesn’t talk, but Luke doesn’t push, because he knows that this is his fault, and he’s willing to give his husband all the time he needs, even if it pains him.

One misty, gray morning, Luke hurts himself while moving some sharply cut stones the old-fashioned way, with his hands, not the Force— Bodhi is at his side before he even registers what he’s doing, murmuring soothing reassurances as he clasps his hands over the bloody wound on his husband’s arm, applying pressure while Luke curses.

“Hold still, let me see,” Bodhi murmurs, his voice rough from disuse— it’s not terribly deep, but painful, and he’ll need to put a bacta patch on it or it’ll get worse. “Hang on, there’s a first aid kit in the ship…”

He runs to retrieve it, muttering under his breath— “-why didn’t you just use to Force, kriffing idiot, I swear you can’t do anything without hurting yourself-” —and when he comes back, there’s a fond smile ticking at the corner of Luke’s mouth.

“I missed you,” Luke’s voice is quiet as he watches Bodhi apply the patch, who runs his fingertips around the edges, making sure it’s sealed properly. Bodhi pauses, swallowing hard before he lifts his eyes— his heart aches in his chest, because Luke’s gaze is so soft, so longing, and Bodhi realizes that despite the lingering anger, the grief— he misses his husband, too.

“I’m sorry.”

Luke cups his hands around Bodhi’s face, drawing him in for a soft, tender kiss, and Bodhi doesn’t stop him.

 

 


	9. I Found A Reason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: This was never right.

 

 

Once their new home is finished and they’ve worked out the logistics for a small garden and other necessities, Bodhi is overcome with restlessness. He clutches at the holo-locket around his neck, thinking of Rey, of how he wasn’t strong enough to protect her, and it fills him with shame and burning determination.

“I need you to teach me to fight.”

Luke protests, at first, because he _knows_ his husband— knows how much Bodhi hates violence, how he struggles and sometimes has nightmares about the people he’s been forced to kill over the course of the war. Bodhi keeps pressing him, because he _needs_ to do this, he can’t be _weak_ anymore— he has to become _strong_ , strong enough to protect Rey, his shooting star, when the time finally comes to retrieve her.

Bodhi isn’t above being manipulative to get what he wants, not when it comes to _this_ — he begs Luke one night as he rides him, moaning and whimpering pleadingly into his husband’s ear— _“Please, my love, I need this, I need you to make me strong, I want to protect my family, please, Luke,”_ —and Luke shudders against him with a broken sound, whimpering _‘yes’_ into his mouth again and again as the cool metal of his hand rakes angry red lines across Bodhi’s hip.

The next day, Luke wakes him at dawn with a soft sigh and an even softer kiss, and his training begins.

 

————

 

**_CRACK_ **

Bodhi grunts as he staggers back a few steps, shaking the flash of blinding pain out of his head— he spats blood to the side before turning hard eyes to his husband, who’s staring at him with a _different_ kind of pain shimmering in his bright eyes, his mouth set in a thin line of displeasure.

“Bodhi—“

“ _Again_.”

Luke sighs heavily and twirls his staff as Bodhi picks up his own, and they start again.

 

————

 

It goes on like that, for a while.

Bodhi aches in ways and places he doesn’t even think should  _exist_ , but he refuses to bow out of the training. Luke rubs out his sore muscles and kisses every single bruise on his body each night, whispering apologies against his skin, and Bodhi lets him, because he knows his husband needs it more than he does.

“You’re doing well,” Luke admits, smiling a little as he carefully massages the tight muscles of Bodhi’s thigh on his bad leg. Bodhi snorts and grins a little, then winces as it causes the split on his lip to sting.

“I hate to think how I’d feel if I was doing _poorly_ ,” he mutters, closing his eyes with a tired sigh. Luke chuckles softly and leans down to press a kiss against his forehead, lips lingering against his skin.

“Well, you _probably_ wouldn’t let me touch you like this, that’s for sure.”

Bodhi doesn’t dignify him with a response, because he’s already fallen asleep from exhaustion.

 

————

 

Bodhi crashes to his knees with a choked sound of pain, his prosthesis grinding angrily against the stone— he struggles to suck in a breath before spitting out some blood, and clenches his eyes shut as his ears ring a little. _Fuck_ , that hurt.

“ _Shit_ , Bodhi, I’m sorry, are you okay?” Luke is by his side immediately, hovering as he drops to one knee, voice laced with worry, with upset at _himself_ — Bodhi grunts and sucks in another breath, managing to nod as he tries to get his bearings again.

“Fine…” he grits out, opening his eyes after a moment. He probably has a concussion, but it wouldn’t be the _first_ time since they’d started this. “Again.”

Bodhi grunts loudly, using his staff to push himself to his feet and shrugging Luke off as he tries to help. When he turns, Luke’s eyes are dark with anger, his jaw set so hard a muscle is starting to tick as he stares at his husband and clenches his fists.

“This isn’t _right_ , Bodhi,” Luke insists, almost pleading, because every time he hurts Bodhi, it destroys a little part of him. Bodhi lets out a sharp, surprised laugh without much humor, because of _course_ it isn’t.

“ _This_?” Bodhi gestures around with one hand, at the island, at them, at the Force, at the fucking _galaxy in general_ —

“This was _never_ right, Luke. Leaving _Rey_ was never right. None of this is right. But here we fucking are, and if I’m stuck here on this _Force_ forsaken island, I’m damn well going to make the most of my time and turn myself into something _useful_ , for once,” Bodhi rumbles, his eyes going hard as he meets his husband’s slightly wide-eyed gaze. “Now pick up your fucking staff and try to hit me again, please.”

Bodhi turns, limping slightly as he moves back into position and shifts his staff in his hands— when he turns back around to face his husband, Luke’s face has gone calm and serene like the Jedi Master he is, and when he holds out his hand, his staff snaps up into it effortlessly.

“ _Again_.”

 

————

 

It takes nearly three months for Bodhi to finally land a good hit on Luke.

It takes both of them by surprise, honestly— Bodhi is _angry_ , because Luke is pulling his hits again, which he hates. His chest is heaving as they exchange blows, and he presses harder, faster, gritting his teeth— he snaps his staff up sharply, twisting in a move that _Luke_ didn’t teach him, but one he remembers from watching _Chirrut_ , back what seems like forever ago, now—

**_CRACK_ **

Luke’s head snaps back with a _very_ surprised sound of pain as he’s disarmed, Bodhi’s staff cracking him right in the jaw— he stumbles back a step and spits blood to the side while Bodhi stares at him in shock, because he actually fucking _did_ it, he hit him, a _good_ hit that even disarmed him—

Luke rubs at his jaw with a grin, his eyes gone dark as he licks a smear of blood off his lip, and Bodhi feels an absolute _thrill_ go through him as his husband rumbles at him with pride.

“Good… _very_ good, love. Now do it _again_.”

 

————

 

Bodhi manages to do it _two_ more times, much to his surprise and his husband’s delight.

After Luke calls the training to an end, Bodhi barely manages to drag himself through the door of the hut— his body _hurts_ , despite the thrill of adrenaline still coursing through him —before his husband is on him, mouth hot and demanding as he shoves Bodhi up against the cool, rough stone of the wall. Bodhi moans into Luke’s mouth, fisting his hands in his shirt, head spinning as his husband uses the _Force_ to practically drag him towards the bedroom—

Luke fucks him _hard_ , and Bodhi takes it and gives back just as raw and desperate, despite the exhaustion settled deep in both of their bones. Luke moans brokenly above him, every touch of his hands and mouth on Bodhi’s skin telling him what he can’t seem to say—

_I love you_ , says the reverent, open-mouthed kiss to his pulse point. _I’m so proud of you_ , says the bite of Luke’s metal fingers into his hip, leaving angry marks that are going to bruise. _I can’t live without you_ , says the desperate snap of his hips, wringing soft, broken cries out of Bodhi’s throat. _Please forgive me_ , begs the hot, demanding press of his mouth against Bodhi’s, drinking in his cries and stealing his breath away. Bodhi shakes, overwhelmed, and tries to return the sentiment as best he can.

_You’re the sun in my sky_ , says the drag of his fingers over Luke’s back, pressing into coiled muscle. _I would die without your love_ , says the way he digs the cool metal of his heel into the base of Luke’s spine, urging him on. _You make me strong_ , says the flex of his aching thighs as he pushes into Luke's thrusts desperately. _I **forgive** you_ , says the desperate moans that flow into Luke’s mouth as he clings to him, says the slight sting of tears in his eyes. When Bodhi comes, he practically sobs Luke’s name, and when Luke follows, he breathes Bodhi’s name like it’s the most precious sound in the entire _universe_.

Bodhi knows he’s going to be even more sore and aching tomorrow, but he doesn’t care— not with the way Luke is curled around him, face pressed into his neck, breathing soft and warm against his hair. He presses a soft kiss to Luke’s brow, noticing the way all the hard lines and edges of his face are smooth and _almost_ young again as he sleeps, and smiles as he closes his eyes.

 

————

 

Luke wakes Bodhi with a soft kiss the next morning, the cool gray light of Ahch-to’s dawn spilling in through the small window, and they begin again.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is honestly one of my favorite things I've ever written. ;-;


	10. Hello Again, Darling

 

Bodhi wakes to the smell of salt, of damp earth, to the endless sound of the ocean, and hates it as much as he did yesterday.

His leg aches, where it joins with his prosthesis, like it always does in the damp mornings on Ahch-To. He grunts as he pushes himself up, carefully swinging his legs over the side of the bed— metal clicks against the stone, and he shivers as a chill runs up his good leg from the cold floor. Bodhi pushes his hair from his face, half-unraveled from the braid he’d slept in, and grabs one of Luke’s robes off a chair as he rises, wincing as his body aches. He's getting too _old_ to live in damp stone huts…

Bodhi pulls the robe on as he shuffles out of the small bedroom, belting it lazily in a way that _always_ makes Luke frown a little, because he’s _not doing it right_. His husband is gone already, like he always is, but there’s some kind of porridge simmering over the small fire, and Bodhi sighs a little as he goes to put the kettle on and make himself some tea.

He stares out one of the small windows of the hut as he waits for the water to boil, eyes trailing over the jagged steps that lead up and up, towards where he knows Luke has secluded himself, overlooking the ocean, meditating, _grieving_ —

Han is dead. Luke had felt it like a knife in his heart, and Bodhi had barely caught him when he’d collapsed with a strangled gasp, clutching at his chest—

Bodhi’s own grief feels cold and quiet in his chest as he pours the water for his tea, watching the leaves float on the steaming surface. Another friend, another piece of their family, gone. Another light snuffed out by Snoke, the Order, by Ben— no, by _Kylo Ren_ , because that soft, quiet boy who used to sit in his lap, eyes full of _wonder_ as uncle Bodhi showed him the start up sequence for bringing his ship online, was _long dead_ —

Bodhi sets the kettle down harder than he means to and nearly burns himself. How much more was the darkness going to take from all of them?

He reaches into his robe, pulling out the small, battered holo-locket hanging around his neck, turning it over in his fingers before flipping it open— Rey’s tiny face laughs up at him, hair wreathed with white blossoms, as Luke scoops her up, swinging the tiny girl onto his strong shoulders—

Bodhi closes his eyes and snaps the locket shut, the ache in his heart as fresh as the day they’d left Jakku.

He abandons his tea on the counter and shuffles back to the bedroom, wrapping himself in warm, slightly rough blankets, wishing Luke was here to hold him instead.

 

————

 

When Bodhi wakes again, it’s dark in the bedroom, and Luke is curled up against his back, heavy and warm, smelling like ocean air and sadness.

Bodhi inhales deeply, shifting a bit, and Luke nuzzles into him, his beard scratching at Bodhi’s bare shoulder where the blankets and his robe have slipped down, “You didn’t eat.. again…”

Luke’s voice is low and quiet against Bodhi’s ear, still making him shiver, even after all these years. He turns, tucking himself against his husband’s chest, and sighs as Luke presses a kiss to his forehead, “Wasn’t hungry.”

“You’re skinny enough as it is…” Luke mutters, and Bodhi allows himself a faint smile, kissing softly at his husband's neck, before he lifts his hand, clutching at the holo around his neck for a moment before flipping it open—

Luke’s breath catches slightly, and Bodhi feels his husband's metal hand clenching on his waist just a bit as they both watch Rey’s laughing face, bright and illuminated and slightly grainy in the darkness.

“Is she still alive?” Bodhi whispers, wishing he could feel her the way Luke does, wishing he had some kind of _connection_ — Luke sighs very softly, closing his eyes, but his answer is the same as always, though there’s _something_ in his tone, something off, something almost frightened, _uncertain_ —

“Yes.”

Bodhi snaps the locket shut, because it’s enough.

 

————

 

Luke leaves him again in the morning, despite Bodhi trying to keep him in bed, aching for his husband’s warmth and comfort.

Bodhi closes his eyes as Luke kisses him, and he winds one hand into his hair, trying to keep him there, but Luke pulls away gently, and Bodhi sighs as he feels warm skin and cool metal caressing both of his cheekbones in apology.

“I love you,” Bodhi murmurs, and Luke smiles slightly, pressing a kiss to the bridge of his nose before he draws away. Bodhi opens his eyes, watching the way his husband’s robes flow across the stone floor as he moves out of the bedroom, towards the front door, towards his _solitude_ —

“It’s not your fault, Luke.”

Luke stops short, going still and tense— Bodhi stares at his husband’s back, and he can hear his own voice echoing in his head, screaming, anguished— _“This is all your fault, everything is always your fault! Take me back to Jakku, I can’t leave her there! Take me back, I hate you, **I hate you-!** ” _

“I love you, too.”

Luke’s whisper is barely loud enough for Bodhi to hear, and then he’s gone, disappearing out the front door into Ahch-To’s morning mist.

 

————

 

Bodhi spends the morning and most of the afternoon tending to the small garden and doing some small repairs around the hut before he takes a break— his leg is aching again, because it’s always so _damp_ , and he ends up falling asleep in his chair by the fire, because he’s old and he can nap when he damn well pleases.

He dreams that he hears the familiar whine of the _Falcon’s_ engine, and startles awake, his heart pounding. Something is _wrong_ , because he can feel Luke broadcasting, feel his _anguish_ , his resignation, his fear—

Bodhi snatches his staff from the bench by the door and races up the steps towards the peak of the island as fast as his joints and out of date prosthetic will let him, his heart racing, because if Luke is like this then something is terribly, _horribly_ wrong, and Bodhi has to find him and  _protect_ him, because he's already lost Rey and losing Luke will actually  _kill him._

Bodhi freezes when he reaches the peak, breathing hard, because there is a _girl_ standing there, holding Luke’s old lightsaber out to him, her body language pleading, _desperate_. Bodhi can’t see her face, but his wide eyes are riveted to her hair, soft and dark and twisted into three _achingly_ familiar knots at the back of her head, though they're missing the spray of white and yellow blossoms, like in the holo—

He looks past her, his heart hammering in his chest, _aching_ , desperate, as he catches Luke’s eyes, and with one look at his husband’s haggard face, he _knows, he knows,_ thatit's his shooting star, his blossom, _his Rey._

Bodhi’s staff drops from his numb fingertips as he falls to his knees, curling in on himself as a muffled sob bubbles up from deep in his aching chest, because she found them all on her own, somehow, not because she was looking for _them_ , because she clearly doesn't even _remember_ them, but because she's been dragged into this war, despite their efforts, and now she needs _Luke Skywalker,_ the _last fucking Jedi_ , to help save this pitiful galaxy yet _again_.

Bodhi curses the Force with everything in his entire being as he digs his fingers into the damp earth, and _swears_ he won’t let it take his daughter from him a second time- he will raze the entire First Order to the ground with his _bare hands_ if he must, destroy _himself_ in the process, but he will not lose his shooting star again.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is how TFA ended and you can't convince me otherwise.


	11. The Day the World Went Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: You need to go.

 

 

Thunder cracks over head, and Bodhi can feel the rumble of it deep in his bones as he stares down at Luke’s still, blood-spattered face.

“ _Luke_ — Luke, _please_ ,” Bodhi begs, the broken whisper of his voice lost to the roar of the rain pounding down all around them. Luke doesn’t move, he’s so still, _too_ still— when Bodhi leans over him, pressing his forehead to his husband’s desperately, he can feel the faint warmth of Luke’s breath on his lips. He chokes out a ragged, broken sound, because Luke’s alive, he’s still _alive_ , he’d found him in time—

“Touching.”

Bodhi clenches his fists in Luke’s soaking wet robes, ice flooding his veins as the harsh, mechanical voice fills his ears. His chest heaves, and he’s suddenly overcome with rage, _blinding_ and hot, because this monster, this _creature_ has brought so much grief, so much violence down on his family, on the only things he’s _ever_ loved, the only _lights_ in this dark universe—

“You need to go,” Ben’s voice— no, _Ren’s_ voice tells him, a metallic growl, a mockery of the thunder still crackling overhead. “Leave, now, and I will spare you, Bodhi.”

Bodhi thinks he might hear hesitation, might hear a gentleness beneath the filter of Ren’s mask— he thinks of the sweet, quiet boy who would beg him to sing Jedhan lullabies after having a nightmare, and his heart aches for a moment before he reforges it with steel. _No_ … that boy is _long_ dead. Only the _monster_ remains.

Bodhi steadies his breathing, slowing it deep and calm as Luke had taught him— he stares down at his husband’s face, at the blood pooling on the wet, mud-slick ground beneath his robes. “You tried to _kill_ my _husband_ ,” he pauses. “You _tortured_ my _daughter_.”

“Leave. _Now_.”

Bodhi clenches his jaw, closing his eyes as he leans down and presses a soft kiss to Luke’s still, rain-chilled lips— his hand abandons his husband’s robes, raking through the mud at his side until he feels the cold, ridged metal and curls his shaking fingers around it tightly.

“No more _running_ ,” Bodhi whispers, still staring at Luke’s face as he rises— his prosthetic slides in the slick mud, hissing and clicking as he steadies himself, his chest heaving as he turns. Ren’s blank mask stares at him, and then tilts down slightly, staring at his hand, and Bodhi can hear the mechanical wheeze of Ren’s sharp inhale through the rain.

“ _Don't_ —“

The lightsaber crackles to life in Bodhi’s hand with a sharp hum, casting green light over him as it sizzles in the rain, reflecting green sparks in his hard, dark eyes. He shifts his stance, standing in front of Luke defensively, his entire body practically vibrating with the endless hum of the saber— “ _Enough_.”

Ren stares him down for several long moments— lightning cracks overhead, and Bodhi thinks he can hear the faint cries of Rey, of Finn, calling out, searching for him, for Luke—

Ren’s saber crackle’s to life in his hand, a violent burst of red light, and Bodhi clenches his jaw as he shifts and widens his stance— Ren will not _touch_ Luke, or his daughter, _ever again_ , and if he dies in the process, so be it. He is  _tired_ of everything in the universe _taking_ from him— he's going to push _back_ , for once.

“As you wish.”

Bodhi’s braces himself against the violent clash of Ren’s saber, snarling as he shoves against him, and his final dance with death begins as thunder roars overhead.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [grabs popcorn]


	12. The Day the World Went Away, pt 2

 

_I am one with the Force, the Force is with me—_

 

Sparks crackle violently across Bodhi’s skin as he blocks Ren’s saber— he shoves and spins, keeping his strikes tight, defensive— Ren has traded finesse for power, he’s too injured from his fight with Luke, not as quick as he should be—

 

_I am one with the Force, the Force is with me, I am one with the Force—_

 

Bodhi’s foot slips through the mud as the metal struggles to find traction, and he ducks back quickly, almost stumbling as he deflects a blow from Ren that rattles the bones in his arms— Ren presses the advantage, and Bodhi grunts as he twists around, saber spinning in an arc of green light, more sparks flying as he blocks—

  
_—the Force is with me, I am one with the Force—_

 

Bodhi kicks out, catching Ren close to the bloodied slice across his thigh— Ren lets out a harsh, mechanical snarl as he stumbles back slightly, and Bodhi quickly presses forward, shifting his grip on the saber as he stabs, striking like he would with his staff, breathing hard as a growl rattles out of his chest, lost in the sound of the rain and saber’s constant, crackling hum—

 

_—the Force, the Force is with me, I am one with—_

 

Ren’s voice modulator crackles sharply with static as Bodhi’s saber glances off his arm, burning fabric and flesh— his hand flies up, and Bodhi finds himself shoved back through the mud by the Force, stumbling as he smacks into a tree, breathless for a moment— he barely gets his saber up in time as Ren attacks again, grunting as he shoves against him, sparks flying as red and green slide together with a sharp, angry crackle— Ren pushes harder, and Bodhi hisses, feeling the heat of the unstable blade far too close to his face as the vents hiss menacingly—

  
_—I am one with the Force—_

 

Bodhi kicks out again, shoving with his saber as hard as he can— Ren stumbles back enough for Bodhi to breathe, and he twists sharply out of the way as Ren strikes again— his head suddenly feels lighter, a good foot of his braid now missing, singed and smoking— too close, _too close_ —

 

_—the Force is with me—_

  
Ren presses his advantage as Bodhi tries to recover his defensive stance, getting more frantic, his blows harsher— Bodhi stumbles, leg sliding through the mud again, and he cries out as Ren’s saber burns across his flank, falling back as pain explodes across his senses— focus, **_focus_** —

 

_—I have to_ **protect** **Luke** , _I am one with the Force,_ **the Force is with me** —

 

Ren pushes Bodhi back as he struggles to defend, now, his side lighting on fire each time he blocks a strike— Ren glances another hit off Bodhi’s thigh, and Bodhi grinds his teeth together against a strangled cry as he drops to one knee— he’s close to Luke, again, could reach out and touch him if he wanted— Ren is circling Bodhi as he struggles to rise, twirling his saber in an arc of violent crimson light—

“I would have let you live,” Ren’s voice growls out, and Bodhi almost laughs, dark and bitter— like he would _ever_ choose to live without his husband at his side— as he lifts his saber, only managing to block one blow before Ren disarms him, sending the lightsaber flying across the clearing—

 

_I’m sorry, my love._

 

Bodhi grunts as he falls back, dragging himself through the mud— his chest is heaving as he braces himself back over Luke’s body, trying to shield his husband, as if he can still _protect_ him. Thunder and lightning crack overhead, and Bodhi suddenly feels a strange sense of warmth and acceptance flood him, as he slides his hand through the mud, curling his fingers tightly around Luke’s still hand—

  
_We’ve done enough, my heart._

 

Ren hesitates before lifting his saber high, and Bodhi turns his head away, gazing down at his husband’s face instead, remembering every smile, every laugh, every flash of his bright eyes, every lingering kiss—

_  
I am one with you, and you are_ **always** _with me._

 

Bodhi closes his eyes as the saber crackles through the air, but it never connects— it stops, and he feels the heat of it close to his chilled skin, crackling, _hissing_ —

  
“Papa!”

 

When Bodhi opens his eyes, _Rey_ is there, breathing harshly, one hand thrust out, her eyes hard and face fierce— Finn is beside her, lightsaber casting brilliant white light, reflecting in his dark eyes as he growls and stares at Ren with righteous fury—

Rey flexes her fingers, and Ren skids back through the mud several feet, his voice modulator crackling as he snarls. Bodhi feels himself finally breathe again as his daughter’s saber ignites in her other hand, tears mingling with the rain on his face as she turns her eyes to him, and Bodhi can _feel_ the force of her love, her determination, filling him back up with hope and _light_ —

He folds himself over his husband protectively as Rey and Finn stride forward, Finn flanking defensively as Rey twirls her saber aggressively in an arc of blue light— Bodhi presses his forehead to Luke’s, feeling his breath against his lips, still warm and _alive_ , and closes his eyes and thunder rattles through his bones.

 

_They are one with the Force, the Force is with them—they are one with the Force, **the Force is with them** —_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kick his ass, kids.


	13. Flower Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Rey loves making flower crowns for everyone.

 

 

“For you, papa!”

Bodhi lowers his head obligingly, and smiles as Rey places a crown of white and yellow blossoms on his head, “Thank you, starlight.”

“You’re welcome!” Rey absolutely beams, placing a kiss on his forehead before returning to the _massive_ pile of flowers she’s collected for herself on the grass outside their home. Bodhi leans back on his hands, watching his daughter fondly— they were visiting headquarters, later, and Rey insisted on making flower crowns for all of her ‘favorite friends’, as she called them.

Bodhi imagines headquarters is already on alert, because receiving a flower crown from Rey Rook-Skywalker is an _honor_ , apparently.

“Remember I have to be able to _carry_ all of these, starlight,” Bodhi muses, tilting his head as he watches his daughter weave stems together with her tiny fingers. Rey hums an affirmative sound, and Bodhi shakes his head, knowing she is _not_ listening to her silly papa.

Hopefully Artoo won’t mind being a flower-crown holder, yet again.

 

————

 

“Hey, there’s my favorite little flower girl!”

“Uncle Wedge!” Rey giggles with absolute delight as she’s scooped up for a hug, placing a kiss on her favorite uncle’s cheek. Wedge grins, holding the girl on his hip despite the fact she’s far too big and heavy for it, now.

“You get bigger every time I see you, space princess,” Wedge chuckles, shifting his grip on the small girl as she hugs him again. Bodhi smiles as he trails after his daughter, Artoo rolling beside, beeping cheerfully, his dome absolutely _covered_ in flower crowns of varying color and style.

“Wedge,” Bodhi greets, leaning in to return the friendly kiss his friend presses to his cheek. “You run off any new pilots in a fit of hysterical tears, lately?”

“That was _one_ time,” Wedge insists, arching one eyebrow and tightening his hold on Rey as she leans over and starts to pick through the flower crowns resting on Artoo’s dome. Bodhi smirks, arching one eyebrow in return, because it _certainly_ had happened more than _one_ time, to his recollection.

“Papa! I need the yellow one!” Rey whines, unable to reach it— Bodhi chuckles and carefully lifts a handful of flower crowns off of Artoo, grabbing the crown made of large, bright yellow blooms, accented with smaller blue and white ones. Wedge _always_ got the prettiest crown, because he was Rey’s _favorite_ uncle, of course.

“That’s for _me_?” Wedge gasps, grinning and widening his eyes dramatically as Bodhi hands Rey the crown— she giggles happily, nodding and placing the garland of flowers very carefully on his hair as he ducks his head for her. “I think this is even _prettier_ than the last one… thank you, my darling space princess.”

“You’re welcome, uncle Wedge!” Rey beams, giggling and shrieking a little as Wedge proceeds to kiss all over her tiny face, hugging her tightly before setting her down. She hugs his leg with a brilliant smile before she’s off running again, and Bodhi sighs as Artoo immediately rolls after her, chirping and beeping at her to _slow down, please, tiny human--_

“I’ll see you later, _uncle_ Wedge,” Bodhi muses, giving his old friend a wave as he trails off after his hyperactive daughter to make sure she doesn't get into too much mischief— Wedge smirks and fixes the crown of flowers on his head, making sure it stays in place, and looks _very_ smug as he strolls away through the hangar, earning several jealous looks from the people he passes.

Favorite uncle, _indeed_.

 

————

 

The pile of flower crowns grows smaller as Rey makes her way around the building and bestows them on her friends— matching green and blue crowns for Cassian and Jyn, a simple white daisy chain for Kaytoo, a garland of ivy and tiny white flowers for Chewbacca— Han does _not_ get a flower crown, once again, despite trying to bribe Rey with sweets, and he looks _very_ put out about it, which makes Bodhi laugh— and of course, there’s a beautiful pink and purple garland of flowers just for Leia, who hugs Rey tightly and kisses all over her face as the little girl clings to her shoulders happily, absolutely beaming, because she _adores_ her auntie Leia so much.

Rey hands out the rest of the crowns to whomever she deems fit to bestow them upon as she skips through the building— all the whispering and hopeful looks make Bodhi grin, because he’s not sure _how_ Rey managed to wrap everyone here around her little fingers, but she has, and it’s equal parts adorable and entertaining.

“And who is the last one for, my star?” Bodhi asks, smiling as his daughter plucks the last crown off Artoo’s dome— the droid beeps and swivels around, happy that he can finally move and _see_ properly.

“It’s for daddy!” Rey beams happily, though she looks a little sad after a moment. “But you can wear it for him, 'cause he’s not home yet.”

Bodhi feels his heart pang— why did Luke have to be _gone_ so often, lately? —but forces a smile as he crouches down and kisses his daughter on the forehead. “I’ll keep it safe for him, sweetheart. Promise.”

Rey’s sadness fades as he slips the garland of bright yellow blossoms over his head, careful not to displace the one she’d given him earlier, and Bodhi pulls her in for a hug, kissing the top of her head. “Papa has to go to a _very_ boring meeting, for a bit… do you mind staying with your uncle Wedge while papa works, little star?”

Rey’s face absolutely lights up, her dark eyes going devious in a way that Bodhi _immediately_ recognizes— “No, you can _not_ go flying with him, and pouting will _not_ change my mind.”

Rey pouts anyway and Bodhi picks her up with a grunt— stars, she’s getting too big and _heavy_ for this —starting to carry her towards the hangar. He glances down at his daughter, and Rey pouts even _more_ , sticking her lower lip out as she widens her already large eyes, her lashes _fluttering_ in a move that she certainly picked up from _Luke_ — oh, _blast_ it.

“You can sit in his lap in the cockpit, and that is _it_ ,” he tells her firmly, ignoring her delighted, triumphant cheer. “ _No_ flying, just _sitting_ , and if uncle Wedge doesn’t listen to Papa, then Papa is going to _hurt him_.”

Rey cheers again, throwing her arms around her father’s neck in a tight hug and laying a wet kiss on his cheek as she giggles, “I love you, papa!”

Bodhi sighs, ever-suffering despite the fact that he chooses to spoil his daughter this way, and smiles as he presses a kiss against her soft, flower-covered hair.

“I love you too, my shooting star.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> smol precious flower child. ;-;


	14. The Day the World Went Away pt3

 

 

 

When Bodhi wakes, it’s to the gentle, all too familiar hum of a med bay.

 

He takes a moment to get his bearings as his eyes slit open to stare at a dull, gray ceiling—his mouth tastes like bacta, and the searing pain along his flank has dulled to a gentle throb. Bodhi blinks, slowly, remembering the cracking of thunder, the violent flash of red and green sparking together,  _screaming_ —

“Luke,” he breathes, voice terribly hoarse, throat feeling raw— when Bodhi tries to push himself up despite the protesting aches from his body, there’s the warm, firm pressure of a hand on his shoulder, gently pushing him down, and his eyes flit to the side of the bed for the first time, startled.

“He’s alive,” Finn assures him in a quiet tone, a soft smile on his lips— Bodhi feels some of the tension immediately ease from his body, and falls back against the pillows, which Finn arranges for him a little better. “He’s in a tank. Rey’s with him.”

Something else uncoils in Bodhi’s chest at the mention of his daughter— alive,  _safe_ , with her father, with Luke, also blessedly  _alive_ — and he lets out a slow breath, closing his eyes for a long moment. “Is she— are you…?”

Finn is still smiling when Bodhi opens his eyes again— he looks tired, Bodhi thinks, so very tired for such a young man, though there’s a lightness about him that he hasn’t seen in quite a while. “She’s okay— we’re okay. Injuries were… minimal. You and Master Luke did quite a number on Ren, sir.”

“Don’t call me that,” Bodhi mutters, almost automatically— he’d break Finn of that habit, someday. He tilts his head towards Finn, eyeing him for a moment, his throat suddenly feeling a little tight. “Is it— did you—“

“It’s done,” Finn says, quiet and simple, as he reaches for a glass of water— his voice betrays little on how he feels about the matter, and Bodhi is grateful as he sucks at the straw Finn holds to his lips, the water soothing the ache in his throat and washing away the taste of stale bacta. Ren was dead, then— no longer a threat to his family. A small part of Bodhi pangs for the loss of a quiet, sweet boy who used to sit in his lap, but the grief is small and brief— Ben had died a  _long_  time ago.

“You did what you had to do, Finn,” is all Bodhi says on the matter when Finn sets the water aside and ducks his head— Finn, who in all his righteous anger, never really desired to  _kill_  anyone, but always did what was necessary to protect those he loved. Bodhi supposed they were very alike, that way. His hand seeks out Finn’s and he squeezes it tight— it takes a moment for Finn to squeeze back, but he’s smiling again as he lifts head.

“I’ll go get Rey,” Finn says, giving Bodhi’s hand another squeeze before he rises— he fusses with Bodhi’s pillows again until Bodhi waves him off with a snort, tipping his head back to stare at the dull ceiling once again.

 

The first part was over, then—an important part of the battle, but not the war. They were getting  _closer_ , though.

 

“Papa!”

Bodhi snaps his eyes to the left, pushing himself up— oh, his heart wants to weep at the sight of his daughter, exhausted but smiling radiantly, and he wraps Rey up in his arms tightly as she hugs him, practically pulling her onto the bed and ignoring the aches that flare to life in his body.

“Oh, little star, you’ve done it, I always knew you could,” he whispers against Rey’s hair, breathing her in— underneath the bacta he can still smell the scent of rain and wildflowers, of a home long forgotten. Rey squeezes him tighter, her face pressed against his own hair, which is curling in messy tangles over his shoulders, still singed at the ends where Ren's saber had cut it.

“He’s not going to hurt you or father or Finn again, papa,  _never_  again,” Rey whispers, and Bodhi exhales long and slow, willing the shaking in his fingers to stop, because his family is okay, now.

“You did so well, my star, we're so proud--  _Luke_ — I need to see your father,” Bodhi murmurs, taking another deep breath as Rey releases him and leans back— she glances over her shoulder at Finn, lingering by the door, and they exchange a look before Rey nods and smiles gently.

“You’ll just get up anyway if we tell you ‘no’, so we might as well help you,” Rey murmurs with a tinge of exasperation, and Bodhi allows himself a quiet chuckle as his daughter helps him sit up properly— his side still aches a bit, but it’s manageable, especially when Finn comes around to help him swing his legs over the side of the bed.

“C’mon, old man,” Finn huffs out with a small chuckle as he helps Bodhi to his feet, sliding one arm around his waist to steady him— Bodhi slides his own arm around Finn’s shoulders, leaning on him more than he’d like as he snorts softly.

“Old man… still spry enough to box your ears if you don’t watch it,” Bodhi mutters, smiling just a little as Finn and Rey both chuckle in response— well, not spry enough right now, perhaps, but soon enough, hopefully. Rey hovers close to Bodhi’s side as they slowly make their way to the bacta tanks, reaching out to support when he wavers a bit, but Finn makes a good crutch, pausing whenever Bodhi needs to catch his breaths— stars above, but he hates feeling so weak. He focuses on his steps, staring down at his bare feet, and all too soon they come to a stop, the floor now bathed in a familiar light that makes Bodhi's chest tight.

“Here we— I’ll get you a chair, papa,” Rey murmurs, darting off, but Bodhi doesn’t pay much attention, because when he lifts head towards the familiar glow of the tank in front of them,  _Luke_  is there, floating in bacta and wonderfully, beautifully  _alive_. Bodhi lurches forward, his breath catching as he presses his hands to the transparisteel, and oh, he wants to see those beautiful blue eyes  _open_ , wants to tell Luke everything is going to be okay, now, but he has to content himself with listening to the steady beep and hum of the vital readout on the tank, instead. He’s vaguely aware of that he’s being eased into a chair, but Bodhi refuses to pull his hands away from the transparisteel, his eyes fixated on the steady rise and fall of his husband’s chest, refusing to even blink away the burn of tears as he whispers, almost to himself. 

"We've done it, my love, we're all right, we're going to be okay, our family is safe..." 

They’re alive— Luke, Rey, Finn, his family— they’re all  _alive_ , and though this war is far from over with Snoke still out there, Bodhi has a little more faith in what the future may hold for them, a future not so bleak and cold as he feared. He closes his eyes, finally, not bothering to wipe away the tears on his face, and breathes deep and slow as he feels Rey and Finn’s hands on his shoulders, grounding him, as he repeats the mantra that’s been a small comfort ever since the day Jedha had turned to ashes in his mouth.

 

**_We are one with the Force, the Force is with us…_ **

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to update this before, but I think it's... sorely needed, after the results of TLJ, which I'm very much not happy with. :|

**Author's Note:**

> So! I had a few people ask if I was going to make spacedads!verse it's own collection, and decided I might as well do it. All spacedads! content will be posted here from now on, instead of the other prompt collection. Thank you so much to everyone who already commented on the previous posts, and encouraged me to keep this universe going. <3


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